Powered by a dominant blitz sweep and steady performances across all formats, the Philippines delivered one of its strongest para chess campaigns at the 2025 Asean Para Games, collecting 12 gold, 10 silver, and 9 bronze medals at Rajabhat University in Nakhon, Ratchasima, Thailand.
The medal haul fell just one gold short of the team’s 2023 Asean Para Games total of 13 golds, seven silvers and 15 bronzes in Cambodia.
For arena grand master (AGM) Henry Roger Lopez of Panabo City, the results carried extra meaning.
“We had a better performance this time. We did a sweep in the blitz event,” Lopez told SunStar Davao in a Messenger interview, reflecting on the Philippines’ surge in the final competitions.
Lopez, competing in the physically impaired (PI) men’s category, played a key role in the medal haul. He earned two team gold medals in standard and blitz play with Sander Severino and Jasper Rom, added a team silver in rapid, and captured an individual silver in blitz.
“I got silver in the blitz individual, wiping out the whole Indonesian contingent,” said Lopez. “I’m happy with our team and my performance.”
The Philippines leaned heavily on Severino and Darry Bernardo, who anchored medal runs across all three time controls — standard, rapid, and blitz.
Severino dominated the PI men’s division, winning three individual gold medals and leading the Philippines to team golds in standard and blitz. Bernardo matched that consistency in the B2 men’s category, sweeping individual golds in all three formats and joining Arman Subaste and Menandro Redor in a clean sweep of team golds.
Indonesia once again emerged as the Philippines’ primary challenger, particularly in the PI men’s events. Lopez said overcoming that rivalry made the victory even sweeter.
“Indonesia is our closest rival in chess in the physically impaired men’s category,” Lopez said. “Beating them all is a feat.”
The Filipinas also delivered crucial medals. Kyla Jane Langue captured gold in individual blitz B1 women, along with silver and bronze finishes in standard and rapid play. Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza added medals in all three formats, including a silver in rapid PI women and bronze finishes in standard and team events.
The Philippines finished with four gold medals in standard, three in rapid, and five in blitz. MLSA